Chemotherapy - Cisplatin/Vinorelbine

redchez200 · Regular Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Posts: 10

Hi

We have just been told what type of chemotherapy my dad will be having.

He had a lobectomy 6 weeks ago and was advised to have a course of chemotherapy as a precaution.

We don't know anything about the drugs used for chemotherapy but we have been told it will be vinorelbine and Cisplatin. He will have this once a week for 4 months.

He is very worried. Has anyone got any advise? It would be very appreciated.

mikes · Senior User Joined: 25 Jul 2005 Posts: 143

From: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/uspdi/203542.html

"Vinorelbine (vi-NOR-el-been ) belongs to the general group of medicines known as antineoplastics. It is used to treat some kinds of lung cancer. It may also be used to treat other kinds of cancer, as determined by your doctor.

Vinorelbine interferes with the growth of cancer cells, which are eventually destroyed. Since the growth of normal cells also may be affected by vinorelbine, other effects will occur. Some of these may be serious and must be reported to your doctor. Other effects, such as hair loss, may not be serious but may cause concern. Some effects may not occur until months or years after the medicine is used.

Before you begin treatment with vinorelbine, you and your doctor should talk about the good this medicine will do as well as the risks of using it."

From: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/uspdi/202115.html

"Carboplatin ( KAR-boe-pla-tin) belongs to the group of medicines known as alkylating agents. It is used to treat cancer of the ovaries. It may also be used to treat other kinds of cancer, as determined by your doctor.

Carboplatin interferes with the growth of cancer cells, which eventually are destroyed. Since the growth of normal body cells may also be affected by carboplatin, other effects also will occur. Some of these may be serious and must be reported to your doctor. Other effects may not be serious but may cause concern. Some effects may not occur until months or years after the medicine is used.

Before you begin treatment with carboplatin, you and your doctor should talk about the good this medicine will do as well as the risks of using it."

The reason I quoted NIH on these 2 agents is to emphasize the need to carefully discuss this with your oncologist. Having completed surgury, the purpose here is to arrest any further growth in case some malignant cells were left behind. These are powerful drugs with potential side effects, but it sounds like your dad has a good chance to be rid of the disease, so the benefits most probably outweigh the risks.

All the best to you and your dad.

redchez200 · Regular Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Posts: 10

Hi Mike

Thank you for your reply. It is much appreciated.

I think it will be a long four months, but we can only take each day at a time and see how Dad copes.

The worrying part of what the specialist said is that out of the 6 people undergoing this type of Chemotherapy, 4 people dropped out for various reasons.

We will just have to see what it bring us.

Thanks
Cheryl

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